Day 3658: Space and a flight.

 

"Punishment": ink, junk mail collage

Want music?

Click here: Chris Bright, Tidepools.

then click back on this blog tab or here to listen as you browse, or not?

 

 

 

 

2GN2S ...

A call from the stars

Isabella Payne and her father Matthew share a passion for space. Since the 8-year-old was just a toddler on her father's knee, she has watched him operate a licensed amateur radio station from their home in Kent, southeast England. Sometimes, when things align, amateur radio operators can speak to astronauts on the International Space Station when they pass overhead. The astronauts use the radio connection to contact schools, and occasionally make "call-outs" to radio station operators in their path. Matthew Payne has helped organize some radio chats before, but Isabella had never gotten to experience one until one night, American astronaut Kjell Lindgren made contact. 

Even though it was the middle of the night on Earth, the young girl got to have an out-of-this-world chat. 

"His voice instantly changed from normal to joyful," Isabella told CNN. "You could hear his smile." It's good practice for when she becomes a NASA communications specialist, her dream job. "I want to talk to the astronauts and say, for example: 'Good morning, Sam. Is everything still floating around up there like it's supposed to?'"

 

 

Hi from Nevada!

 

Grandhunk #2 picked me up at 11:45 and drove me to JSX airport, a small private airline next to OC airport.

 

An easy check in of 1 bag, just my Drivers License. No security, a small waiting room ... 

            then a short walk out to the plane ...

 

A smaller private jet, holding 30 passengers, but we only had 25 aboard, plus crew.

             

Nice, clean, easy and lots of leg room.

               Free drinks & snacks for a short flight.
 

 

A short wait, for bigger planes to land and take off

 

We were in line to take off. Orange County has a noise 

restriction brought by the homeowners requiring the planes 

to take off at a steep angle, feels like being launched.

 

 

and we were airborne looking back on the OC.

 

 

The captain said we would be flying into some turbulence

on the way, and he was right. Not bad.

 

 

Then we were over dessert, dark spots are shadows 

of the clouds. Then, Lake Mead.

 

 

In a hour, ready to touch down in Las Vegas.

  

WonderWoman was there to meet me, 

and 30 minutes later we were at Superman and WonderWoman's new home in Henderson, Nevada.

 

Throwback Thursday ...

 

Demura Sensei and Instructors

Santa Ana, CA 2000

 

 

 

 

 

A beautiful 3-minute video, Egypt, here.

 

Just because ...

 

 

Scarlet Ibis

 

Smiles for Thursday ...

 

 

 

 

 

                             Thanks for coming by today